Seamless multimedia conferencing system using enhanced endpoint devices

• US 5,673,080 A
• Filed: 10/15/1996
• Issued: 09/30/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Biggs, John T., Milstead, Sandra C., Skran, Dale L., Snowdon, Arthur R., Landante, Diane G.
• Primary Examiner(s): WOO, STELLA L
• Application Number:
  US08/729,197
• Time in Patent Office: 350 Days
• Field of Search: 348/15, 348/16, 348/14, 348/17, 348/18, 348/19, 379/201, 379/202, 379/93, 379/94, 379/96
• US Class Current: 348/14.09
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/5018 Initiating a conference during a two-party conversation, i.e. three-party-service or three-way-call computer conference organisation arrangements H04L12/1818
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems

Abstract

Methods of establishing multimedia conferences between a multimedia server and a plurality of endpoint devices. One or more of these endpoint devices are enhanced in that they include a memory adapted to store one or more telephone numbers, each telephone number corresponding to a respective endpoint device, and a user interface coupled to the memory for selecting a telephone number stored in the memory. The methods are performed in a substantially continuous manner, signifying that a third endpoint device is added to a preexisting conference between a first and a second endpoint device without substantially interrupting this preexisting conference. Therefore, a seamless multimedia conference is provided between the first and second enhanced endpoint devices even when a third endpoint device is added to the conference.

Claims

1. An enhanced endpoint device for use in a multimedia conferencing system having a multimedia server and a plurality of endpoint devices including a second endpoint device and a third endpoint device, the enhanced endpoint device comprising:

point-to-point communications link establishment means adapted for establishing a point-to-point communication link between the enhanced endpoint device and the second endpoint device;

a data transceiver for transmitting and receiving electronic data signals;

processing means comprising a microprocessor, the processing means being coupled to the data transceiver and to the communications link establishment means;

multipoint communications link establishment means, coupled to the multimedia server, for establishing a multipoint communications link between the enhanced endpoint device, the second endpoint device, and the third endpoint device, such that the processing means after initial action by a user automatically transforms the point-to-point communications link into a multipoint communications link as a substantially continuous operation in the perception of an enhanced endpoint device user, wherein the third endpoint device is added to a preexisting conference between the enhanced and second endpoint devices, and wherein, from a participant'"'"'s viewpoint, the preexisting conference is not substantially interrupted at the enhanced endpoint device, thereby providing a seamless conference as perceived by participants at the enhanced endpoint device;

memory means coupled to the processing means; and

a user interface coupled to the processing means for accepting user input and converting the user input into electronic data signals.

2. A multimedia conferencing system comprising a first enhanced endpoint device and a second enhanced endpoint device, the first and second enhanced endpoint devices each adapted for coupling to a multimedia server and a third endpoint device, the first and second enhanced endpoint devices each comprising:

point-to-point communications link establishment means adapted for establishing a point-to-point communications link between the enhanced endpoint device and another endpoint device;

a data transceiver for transmitting and receiving electronic data signals;

processing means for comprising a microprocessor, the processing means being coupled to the data transceiver and to the communications link establishment means;

multipoint communications link establishment means, adapted for coupling to the multimedia server, for establishing a multipoint communications link between the first enhanced endpoint device, the second enhanced endpoint device, and the third endpoint device, such that the processing means after initial action by a user automatically transforms the point-to-point communications link into a multipoint communications link as a substantially continuous operation in the perception of the user wherein the third endpoint device is added to a preexisting conference between the first and second enhanced endpoint devices, and wherein, from a participant'"'"'s viewpoint, the preexisting conference between the first and second enhanced endpoint devices is not substantially interrupted, thereby providing a seamless conference as perceived by participants between the first and second enhanced endpoint devices;

memory means coupled to the processing means; and

a user interface coupled to the processing means for accepting user input and converting the user input into electronic data signals.

3. A method of establishing a multimedia conference between a multimedia server and a plurality of endpoint devices including an enhanced endpoint device, a second endpoint device, and a third endpoint device, the method including the steps of:

(a) the enhanced device establishing a point-to-point communications link between the enhanced endpoint device and the second endpoint device; and

(b) the enhanced endpoint device establishing a multipoint communications link between the multimedia server, the enhanced endpoint device, the second endpoint device, and a third endpoint device, such that the point-to-point communications link after initial action by a user is automatically transformed into a multipoint communications link as a substantially continuous operation in the perception of an enhanced endpoint device user, wherein the third endpoint device is added to a preexisting conference between the enhanced and second endpoint devices, and wherein, from a participant'"'"'s viewpoint, the preexisting conference is not substantially interrupted at the enhanced endpoint device, thereby providing a seamless conference as perceived by participants at the enhanced endpoint device.

4. A method of establishing a multimedia conference between a multimedia server and a plurality of endpoint devices including a first enhanced endpoint device, a second enhanced endpoint device, and a third endpoint device, the method including the steps of:

(a) the first enhanced endpoint device establishing a point-to-point communications link between the first enhanced endpoint device and the second enhanced endpoint device; and

(b) the first enhanced endpoint device establishing a multipoint communications link between the multimedia server, the first enhanced endpoint device, the second enhanced endpoint device, and the third endpoint device, such that the point-to-point communications link is, after initial action by a user, automatically transformed into a multipoint communications link as a substantially continuous operation in the perception of an enhanced endpoint device user, wherein the third endpoint device is added to a preexisting conference between the first and second enhanced endpoint devices, and wherein the preexisting conference between the first and second enhanced endpoint devices is not substantially interrupted from a viewpoint of participants, thereby providing a seamless conference as perceived by the participants between the first and second enhanced endpoint devices.

5. A method of establishing a multimedia conference between a multimedia server and a plurality of endpoint devices including:

(i) a first enhanced endpoint device having a memory adapted to store one or more telephone numbers, each telephone number corresponding to a respective endpoint device, and a user interface coupled to the memory for selecting a telephone number stored in the memory, (ii) a second enhanced endpoint device, and (iii) a third endpoint device;

the method including the steps of;

(a) the first enhanced endpoint device establishing a point-to-point communications link between the first enhanced endpoint device and the second enhanced endpoint device;

(b) the user interface of the first enhanced endpoint device selecting a telephone number corresponding to the third endpoint device;

(c) the first enhanced endpoint device establishing a communications link with the multimedia server;

(d) the first enhanced endpoint device downloading a telephone number, network address, and/or LAN specification corresponding to the third endpoint device to the multimedia server;

(e) in response to step (d), the multimedia server downloading a dial-in telephone number to the first enhanced endpoint device;

(f) the first enhanced endpoint device downloading the dial-in telephone number to the second enhanced endpoint device;

(g) the first enhanced endpoint device instructing the second enhanced endpoint device to terminate the point-to-point communications link, and instructing the second enhanced endpoint device to dial the dial-in number downloaded by the multimedia server;

(h) the first enhanced endpoint device and the second enhanced endpoint device each dialing the dial-in number, thereby establishing a multimedia communications link between the first enhanced endpoint device, the second enhanced endpoint device, and the multimedia server; and

(i) the multimedia server dialing the third endpoint device, thereby establishing a multimedia, multipoint communications link between the first enhanced endpoint device, the second enhanced endpoint device, and the third endpoint device;

wherein steps (c)-(i) are performed as a substantially continuous operation in the perception of an enhanced endpoint device user, such that the third endpoint device is added to a preexisting conference between the first and second enhanced endpoint devices, and such that, from a participant'"'"'s viewpoint, the preexisting conference between the first and second enhanced endpoint devices is not substantially interrupted, thereby providing a seamless conference, as perceived by participants, between the first and second enhanced endpoint devices.

6. A method of establishing a multimedia conference between a multimedia server and a plurality of endpoint devices including:

(i) a first, enhanced endpoint device having a memory adapted to store one or more telephone numbers, each telephone number corresponding to a respective endpoint device, and a user interface coupled to the memory for selecting a telephone number stored in the memory, (ii) a second nonenhanced endpoint device, and (iii) a third endpoint device;

the method including the steps of;

(a) the first endpoint device establishing a point-to-point communications link between the first endpoint device and the second endpoint device, the point-to-point communications link including a voice channel;

(b) the user interface of the first endpoint device selecting a telephone number corresponding to the third endpoint device;

(c) the first endpoint device establishing a communications link with the multimedia server;

(d) the first endpoint device downloading a telephone number, network address, and/or LAN specification corresponding to the third endpoint device to the multimedia server;

(e) in response to step (d), the multimedia server downloading a dial-in telephone number to the first endpoint device;

(f) the first endpoint device providing the dial-in telephone number to the second endpoint device over the voice channel;

(g) the first endpoint device, over the voice channel, instructing the second endpoint device to terminate the point-to-point communications link, and instructing the second endpoint device, over the voice channel, to dial the dial-in number;

(h) the first endpoint device and the second endpoint device each dialing the dial-in number, thereby establishing a multimedia communications link between the first endpoint device, the second enhanced endpoint device, and the multimedia server; and

(i) the multimedia server dialing the third endpoint device, thereby establishing a multimedia, multipoint communications link between the first endpoint device, the second endpoint device, and the third endpoint device;

wherein steps (c)-(i) are performed by the first enhanced endpoint device and the multimedia server as a substantially continuous operation in the perception of an enhanced endpoint device user, such that the third endpoint device is added to a preexisting conference occurring between the first and second endpoint devices, and such that, from a participant'"'"'s viewpoint, the preexisting conference is not substantially interrupted at the first endpoint device, thereby providing a seamless conference, as perceived by participants, at the first endpoint device.